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Spray Tanning Prep & Aftercare Advice

Preparing your skin properly for a tan, and maintaining it as best as possible afterwards, is crucial to how it looks and lasts on your skin.The thing to remember when you get a spray tan, is we are not spraying a colour onto your skin, we are spraying a solution that enables the skin to colour, and it's actually YOUR skin that does all the work, so to get the best results and the longest lasting tan possible you need to prep and look after your skin properly.

PLEASE NOTE: It's a good idea to get all your beauty treatments done BEFORE your tan! Things like mani/pedis usually include scrubs and lotions which can strip your tan. Wait 24 hours after and make sure all lotions/scrubs are not present on the skin by giving the area a quick exfoliation with water only at least 3 hours before your tan. Nails only (acrylics, etc), hair appointments should be fine AFTER you have rinsed or the next day, as the skin around the nails isn't really affected, and your hair is washed over a basin so there will be no shampoo running down your skin which could potentially streak your tan. But it's best all these treatments are done prior.

24 HOURS PRIOR - For Evening Appointments

Exfoliate thoroughly the day before so the tan adheres to fresh clean skin. You can use product if you want to. Pay special attention to hands, elbows, knees, ankles, heels and tops of feet. I find using a "Tan-Off Mitt" or exfoliating gloves work best.

Shave or wax at least 24 hours prior.

If you need to wash your hair, do so the day before, but wash your hair first, then do your exfoliating.

Moisturise heavily the evening prior to your appointment to rehydrate your skin. Use a lot more than you normally would, and applying extra attention to any dry areas.

This will be the last time you use moisturiser until 24 hours after your spray tan appointment. DO NOT use moisturiser on your skin again prior to your spray tan appointment.

24 HOURS PRIOR - For Early Morning Appointments

Follow the advice above but make sure you do everything the morning prior. Then that evening you will need to have your last shower with water only and a light exfoliation with an exfoliation mitt to get rid of any leftover product that may still be on the surface of the skin.

THE DAY OF YOUR TAN, BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT

Shower the morning of your appointment WITH WATER ONLY, and give your skin a light exfoliation (quick light runover the body with an exfoliation mitt), to ensure any product applied the day before is removed.

MOST IMPORTANT: Make sure your shower is AT LEAST 3 HOURS before your appointment to allow your skin's temperature & pH levels to return to normal and to make sure there is no potential for the skin to be waterlogged as this will affect the absorption of the tan. Your skins pH level needs to be at it's standard level of around pH5.5 and skin temperature normal. Using water and/or products can elevate your skins natural pH levels. The higher your skin's pH is the more chance you have of the tan resulting in a golden or orange result.

You need make sure you don't use any body products the day of your tan, even if it is an evening appointment. This includes any soap/body wash during your shower, no makeup, moisturiser, deodorant, perfume or oils. Do not use these products as they can leave a barrier on the skin and prevent the full colour from developing.

DO NOT shave your legs the same day as your appointment. If you do wish to do so, you need to do so within 3 hours of your appointment time and make sure that you give your legs a light exfoliation (with water only) after shaving to make sure that all excess product has been removed from the skin. We cannot guarantee a perfect result should you shave the same day as your appointment.

DO NOT wash your hair prior to your appointment as you run the risk of drip marks on your body where the product hasn’t been washed off properly. If you absolutely must wash your hair the same day, you need to do so within 3 hours of your appointment time, and you also need to rinse really well and give a light exfoliation afterwards (with water only) to ensure that no product is left on the skin. You really need to be super careful when it comes to washing your hair the same day as your spray tan appointment and we don't recommend it.

​Wear comfortable, loose, dark clothing to your spray tan session

DO NOT wear jewellery to your spray tan appointment unless it can be easily removed.

Be aware of any medication you may taking. Ideally you shouldn’t have a spray tan for four weeks after completing a course of topical or oral antibiotics as they can stay in your system for quite a while. Certain medications and drugs can cause an imbalance which affects the way in which the DHA reacts with your skin and won’t allow the tan to develop as it would normally.

THE SPRAY TANNING SESSION

A consultation and skin analysis are done and we will discuss the details of your occasion prior to spray tanning you. This way we can guarantee the perfect colour for your skin tone.

Bring loose, dark clothing and thongs or slip on shoes, It is also preferable not to wear a bra afterwards so you avoid any strap marks.

Avoid wearing clothing that is tight fitting, including shoes, as this will mark your tan.

Remove any jewellery you may be wearing.

During the tan, most people wear just a g-string to get the best tan possible, but you can wear a bikini, underwear or nothing at all! Just wear whatever you feel comfortable in!

We provide all disposable items: bandeau bras, hair nets and g-strings for you.

For those that want to avoid tan lines altogether but don't want to go completely naked, you can wear a "C-String". These are available to purchase in the salon for $10. You can wash and bring back to each appointment.

"Tantoos" and novelty nipple covers are also available just for fun!

The spray tan will take around 20 minutes.

WAITING, WAITING, WAITING!

During the development time you should not allow your skin to perspire or become wet at all. That means no washing dishes or exercising!

If you do happen to sweat, lightly apply a little talcum powder or cornflour with a kabuki brush to the perspiring areas as this will absorb the perspiration but wont affect the tan. If your skin gets splashed, dab dry (do not rub), and add a tiny amount of moisturiser to the affected area blending to an even colour.

You will be advised on how long to leave the solution on for depending on the depth of colour you wish to achieve.

RINSING YOUR TAN

Rinse with PLAIN WARM WATER ONLY (no soaps, body wash or shampoo), starting from your legs working your way up your body. Wash all areas gently with your hands (don‘t scrub), including ears!

You only need a quick 30 second to 1 minute shower. It is literally a quick rinse. you can have a proper shower after 24 hours. The DHA can actually be deactivated if you take too long a shower with your initial rinse.

You will notice the bronzer rinsing away, don't worry, this is not your tan, only the temporary bronzer. Make sure all this bronzer has washed off and the water runs clear.

Pat your skin dry with a towel instead of wiping (this applies after every shower).

Avoid using any product for 24 hours after your appointment (including moisturiser, body wash, soap, deodorant and hair products). If you wish to wash under your arms and your privates this is fine, but keep all products off the rest of your body until the 24 hour period has passed. The DHA will still be continuing to develop over the next 24-48 hours so any products you put on your skin during this time can still influence the outcome of the tan.

THE NEXT 24 HOURS AFTER YOUR APPOINTMENT

Leaving all body products off your skin for 24 hours until the tan has finally developed is very important, Using body products prior to the tan being fully developed can potentially change the outcome of the tan, so it is very important that no body products are used on the skin within this 24 hour period.

Avoid sports or activities that will cause you to sweat or perspire as this can still affect the outcome of the tan while it's still developing.

Your tan will continue to develop to its full intensity over the next 12-24 hours.

MAINTAINING YOUR TAN

24 hours after your appointment, you can start using body products, but you need to make sure that you are selecting the correct products for your skin.

Try to find products that are pH balanced or paraben free,free from sulphur laurel sulphates (SLS's), perfumes and colourants,

Use body wash, or a soap free cleansing bar, rather than soap. A gel based body product works best. Choose clear body washes over the “creamy” moisturising body washes. If you can’t find a clear pH balanced body wash, its best to choose a gel that is more coloured towards the green, blue or violet colour range rather than those that are more yellow or orange. The "Thank You" brand Botanical Geranium & Rosewood Body Wash from Coles, Woolworths or Priceline is the best choice we have found so far.

Moisturise your skin twice daily to make sure your spray tan lasts as long as possible. Again, make sure to check the ingredients so it contains nothing that will strip the tan of its colour. Infinity Brow Beautique has a range of quality products specifically formulated for spray tans in stock. This will reduce the rate at which your skin exfoliates and will keep your tan looking better for longer.

The best time to moisturise is straight after coming out of the shower. You have 3-4 minutes before your body starts to lose moisture. Pat yourself dry but leave your skin damp/slightly wet.Moisturise with the water that has been left on the skin. This locks in the moisture and allows the application of the product on the skin a lot easier to apply, as well as giving you an added moisturising boost and preventing dry, crackly skin, especially on the shin area.

Use a shampoo & conditioner especially formulated for spray tans or that don't contain any SLS's.

Avoid harsh wash cloths or loofahs.

Avoid anything that exfoliates or renews the skin eg: peel-off masks, scrubs, toners or products that contain alpha hydroxy acid (AHA's), lactic/glycolic acid or alcohol. All of these products will strip the tan and cause patching. and uneven fading.

DO NOT use any products made by Dove, Nivea or Palmolive. Due to their ingredients, they are probably the worst brands you can use on your skin with a spray tan.

Avoid baby oil or other types of oils as they will strip the tan.

Waxing will remove your tan and shaving will make it blotchy in appearance

Avoid prolonged soaking in water such as long hot showers or baths, hot spas, saunas, extended swimming sessions and chlorinated pools. These will all cause the tan to fade, dry out the skin and cause patchiness. Salt water can also fade your tan and reduce the length of your tan.

Avoid sports or activities that will cause you to sweat or perspire.

DO NOT exfoliate your skin until the tan has faded (or just before your next spray tan). When the tan is coming to the end of its life, have a long bath to soak it all off, then start exfoliating to ensure the tan fades out evenly ready for your next tan.

Sunscreen is a great idea as spray tans don't offer sun protection. Use an oil free sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15.

Please remember: DHA can react for up to 24 hours after being spray tanned. This means that you may not have your full colour straight after your shower. Please allow 24 hours to view your potential full colour. Everybody's skin is different... some people will be lucky enough to have their tan develop in minimal time, others may have to wait the full 24 hour period. This means if you are getting your spray tan for a special event it is best to do so 48 hours (2 days) prior to the event.

Please note: For people with sensitive skin or allergies, we can test a patch on the inside of the elbow or behind the knee with our solution. Please contact us at least 48 hours prior to your appointment to arrange this.​